17 September 2015, 14:21 GMT
CAIRO (Sputnik) — Media reports on Wednesday said that forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Libyan government, which is not recognized internationally, had seized the Russian oil tanker Mekhanik Chebotarev and detained 11 Russian crew members when it was allegedly en route to the northwestern Libyan port of Zuwarah.
According to Qassem, the detained Russian sailors have not been questioned yet.
"The port of Tripoli is overcrowded, there too many vessels there, that's why the Russian tanker has been transferred to the port of Misrata," navy spokesman Col. Ayub Qassem told RIA Novosti, adding that the crew accompanied the ship.
